A continuation of our Alchemy Series, sponsored by Wells Fargo and Prudential, we speak to Heather Zoccali. Heather hails from Kentucky and has made Colorado her home since 2002. Heather taught dance in public schools but personal tragedies in her life led her in a new direction. Heather found that caregivers were often a forgotten part of the rehabilitation and recovery process and needed opportunities to practice self-care. With that in mind, she founded The Arch Foundation in 2017, to help bridge that gap and provide caregivers with resources. 

She has since been honored as a Colorado State University Hometown Hero, as Rookie of the Year for Volunteer Disaster Aid Work with The American Red Cross, and received a Tribute from the State of CO for her pioneering work for Family Caregivers. Heather firmly believes in the notion that a broken spirit grows back stronger in the face of tremendous life challenges and lives her life accordingly.

Heather’s core beliefs are rooted in choices we are all capable of making: the choice to forgive; the choice to find magic in the world, especially at times when it seems near-impossible; and last but surely not least, the choice to be happy and find within yourself a resilience that we all possess. 

She continues to live in Fort Collins, CO with her husband Matt and her two sons, Connor & Max as well and now her mother ‘Nana.’

Additional Resources:

https://themighty.com/2020/01/becoming-caregiver-after-spinal-cord-injury/

No Barriers Caregiver Program

No Barriers Caregiver Resources

No Barriers Caregivers Facebook Group (Private)

AARP

Elizabeth Dole Foundation

National Caregiver Alliance

Aging and Disability Resources Centers